Leftover Wine?
Here’s a Wine Cocktail Recipe using Fre Wines’ White Zinfandel.
Pinkie Promise with a Twist:
You will need:
Directions:
Pour equal parts White Zinfandel and Cranberry Juice in a white wine glass. Next, juice 1/2 a lime and add to the wine glass. Stir and garnish with lemon wedge.
Salu’d
XOXO, Smiling Danny
Hi Smileys!
This week was particularly interesting as I came across something that I have never seen or heard before: Non-Alcoholic WIne! I have heard of non-alcoholic beer but never have seen this with wine. When I came across the bottle I decided that I would give it a try. So I went ahead and purchased a bottle of Fre Wine, White Zinfandel. The taste was very interesting in that you can taste the different fruit notes but then there is a third mysterious taste that seems familiar; but, I can’t quite place it. It almost tastes like alcohol but not so much. It reminded me of a wine cooler. The wine had aromas of strawberries and strawberry jell-o with palate notes of strawberries and raspberries.
So how is this possible?
Well, we know the basic wine making process consists of Sugar + Yeast —-> (Fermentation) = Alcohol.
Fre uses the traditional winemaking methods to make their wines; however, they gently remove the wine after the fermentation process is complete.
So, isn’t this the same as Juice?
No, juice is a lot sweeter because the grapes have not been fermented. Since these grapes have gone through the fermentation process, the sugar has been removed. Therefore; the wine is a lot less sweeter and still maintains the prominent characteristics that were preserved during the winemaking process. Also, this wine still contains less than 0.5% alcohol. For a frame of reference, this is the amount of alcohol in Kombucha (for those who drink Kombucha).
Pairing and Recipe:
I paired this wine with chopped steak and balsamic brussels sprouts and it was quite delicious.
Visit http://www.frewines.com for several mocktail recipes. But as you know adding Cranberry Juice and a spritz of lime juice will always My Go-To!
I hope you enjoyed this blog post. Comment below if you decide to give this wine a try.
XOXO, Smiling Danny
Salu’d
Hi Smileys!
Today I’m going to share with you my experience visiting Heath Sparkling Wines in Fredericksburg, Texas.
This one was an interesting visit in that I really didn’t get to make any tasting notes. Normally, when visiting a vineyard I learn about the grapes, tour the grounds and hear stories about how the owners started their work in the wine industry. Due to so many new rules and regulations during this pandemic the tasting wasn’t quite the experience that I would have gotten if I had arrived on any other given day. While there, I was hoping to learn some tips about tasting sparkling wines and there were a few additional questions that I had. However, the tasting felt rushed, there weren’t any tours and there wasn’t any history or sparkling wine tips given during the tasting. I literally took a sip, took a bite, sipped again and moved on.
Although this pandemic has created a form of chaos in the wine industry, I am all about making the most of my experience. What I did enjoy were the delicious pairings, the friendliness of the staff, the beauty of the courtyard, and the quietness of sipping my sparkling wine near the water fountain. And most of all, I enjoyed who I shared this experience with.
The tasting consisted of four sparkling wines accompanied with four delicious pairings created by their Chef. Each tasting was delicious but my favorite wine and favorite pairing was the Blanc de Blancs paired with a Watermelon Feta Salad.
All in all, although times have changed, that doesn’t mean that your spirit and joy have to as well. Make each day count. Cherish those special moments that you have with your loved ones while you can. And most of all: KEEP SMILING! In the meantime, I look forward to returning and discovering more of what Heath Sparkling Wines has to offer.
XOXO, Smiling Danny, Salu’d
Wine: William Chris Vineyards, Malbec Rose’, 2017
Pairing: Homemade Cornish Hen Soup
Notes: The grapefruit notes in the wine paired nicely with the citrus notes in the soup. However, this wasn’t a pairing that blended together it was a pairing that didn’t detract from each other. The Rose’ tasted just like it would had I drank it on its own and the soup tasted just like it did when I ate it alone.
This goes to show us that all pairings do not need to blend together. When it comes to pairing wine, you just don’t want it creating a sour or yucky taste on your palate.
Would I pair these two together again? Of course, especially on days when you are having soup but don’t necessarily want to be warmed up or left feeling hot; the wine provides a nice refreshing taste on the palate and leaves you feeling comfortable as far as temperature is concerned.
Well that concludes this week’s pairing, I hope that you enjoyed it. If I get enough requests, I will post the recipe to my homemade soup on the blog. In the meantime, try this wine with chicken soup or chicken and dumplings and then let me know your thoughts. Also, if you want more notes on this wine and my visit to William Chris Vineyards; check out my previous post: Happy Anniversary in Hye, Texas (Sept 8, 2018).
XOXO, Salu’d, Smiling Danny
Smiling Danny 